SLIDING DOOR OR SLIDING WINDOW SYSTEM

Abstract: A sliding door (10) having a sliding panel (12) is horizontally displaceable via wheels (17) between open and closed positions in an associated frame (13). In the closed position the sliding panel is sealable via sealing elements (18) against the frame (13) and an adjacent support panel (11). The sliding panel (12) is displaceable sideways from a stable sliding position towards an unstable support position with a combined, forcibly guided sliding movement and barring movement and from an unstable support position to a stable sliding position by means of the weight of the sliding panel. A stop means (30) forcibly guides the sliding panel (12) from sliding position towards support position and bars the sliding panel in a sealing-forming support position. The stop means permits automatic readjustment of the sliding panel from unstable support position to sliding position immediately the barring engagement is removed.

Description: SLIDINGDOOR OR SLIDINGWINDOW SYSTEM. The present invention relates to an arrangement in sliding doors or sliding windows, comprising a sliding panel which, via two or more wheels or sliding elements is horizontally displaceable between open and closed positions in horizontal guides in an associated frame and which in a closed position is sealable against the frame or against a laterally adjacent support panel, each wheel being rotatably mounted on a bearing part of a fitting of the sliding panel about a first axis, which is arranged in a plane across the main plane of the sliding panel, while the fitting is pivotable relative to the sliding panel about a second, horizontal axis parallel to the main plane of the sliding panel and at right angles to the plane of the first axis. By the term "sliding door" shall be understood con¬ ventional sliding doors for housing, offices, industrial locations, that is to say doors indoors as well as out¬ doors, but also sliding doors for special purposes, such as fireproof doors, cupboard doors and the like. Corre- spondingly there shall be understood by the term "sliding window" conventional, vertical, external sliding windows for housing, offices, industrial locations, and the like, but also external, obliquely extending sliding windows for use as roof windows or the like plus internal sliding windows for use in connection with special rooms of different kinds. It is usual that sliding doors and sliding windows are supported in adjacent guides via wheels and/or slide elements, which can be arranged at the upper end of the sliding panel and/or at its lower end. It is usual to employ rails or similar slide surfaces as guides for con¬ trolling the wheels or the slide elements in the intended manner relative to the support panel. Furthermore it is usual in connection with sliding windows and sliding doors to employ sealing elements in the form of sliding strips for forming a seal between the sliding panel and the support panel. Such sliding strips easily cause great inertia between sliding panel and support panel during displacement of the sliding panel relative to the support panel and can have a tendency to form little effective sealing in the desired sealing position. A solution according to the kind mentioned by way of introduction is known from DE 29 41 109, a pivot-slide fitting for wheels being known from said publication which supports sliding windows and sliding doors in an outwardly pivoted sliding position or in an inwardly pivoted support position. The pivotal movement takes place on lifting and subsequently lowering the sliding panel about an unstable dead centre from two respective stable outer positions, which constitute the respective sliding position and support position of the sliding panel. In this connection the plane through the said second pivotal axis is coin¬ ciding with the radial plane through the wheels. In the known solution the weight of the sliding panel is utilised as the force to ensure the sliding panel in place in opposite outer positions. One is hereby dependent upon a sliding force across the sliding panel in order to be able to accomplish the pivoting from outer position to outer position. In US 2 570 563 there is shown a similar pivoting about of the sliding panel between stable sliding position and stable support position via an intermediate upper dead centre position. From US Patent 2 199 182 a solution is known where by means of a sliding arm the pivot pin of the support wheels can be swung about between a position inclined obliquely inwards and a position inclined obliquely outwards for equivalent readjustment of the sliding panel between a stable support position and a stable sliding position. In this case also the sliding panel must be lifted and there¬ after lowered about an intermediate dead centre between the two outer positions. From NO Patent Application 920980 a solution is known where the aim is to avoid any lifting and lowering of the sliding door between sliding position and support posi¬ tion, and vice versa . Instead the aim is a lateral dis¬ placement of the sliding door between sliding position and support position, and vice versa . The sliding panel assumes a special barred unstable sliding position and a special barred stable support position. With the present invention an aim is to be able to utilise the weight of the sliding panel as a force for readjusting the sliding panel in the one pivotal direc¬ tion. Consequently an aim is to forcibly guide the sliding panel into place in an unstable support position by way of separate means, so that the sliding panel can be read¬ justed in an easy manner from unstable support position to stable sliding position by simple means, that is to say by the weight of the sliding panel. In connection with lifting and lowering of the slid¬ ing panel, an aim according to the invention is to make oneself independent of a dead centre between the outer positions of the sliding panel. According to the invention a special aim is to com¬ bine said forcible guiding of the sliding panel with a barring of the sliding panel in the support position,at the same time as there is exerted a controlled clamping between sliding panel and casement via intermediate pack¬ ings. More specifically an aim is to be able to displace the sliding panel relatively unhindered in a released, stable sliding position, while the sealing engagement is activated between sliding panel and support panel via intermediate sealing elements in the intended support and sealing position, in a controlled, accurate, forcibly guided manner. The arrangement is characterised in that the second axis is located laterally displaced relative to a central vertical plane through the associated wheel guide, and preferably laterally displaced relative to a central radi¬ al plane through the associated wheel, that the sliding panel assumes by means of its weight a stable sliding position at a lower level than its support position, and that the sliding panel is readjustable about the second axis - by lateral displacement of the sliding panel towards and from a support position with support against the frame and against the sliding panel respectively and by displacement of the sliding panel from and to a stable sliding position at a lateral distance from the frame and the sliding panel respectively, a manually actuable stop means, for barring the sliding panel in its support posi¬ tion, being adapted, on removal of the barring engagement, to release a weight-actuated readjusting movement for displacing the sliding panel towards its sliding position. It is possible to allow the support wheels to run obliquely disposed from below and outwards both in the sliding position and in the support position, that is to say inclining in the support position slightly obliquely outwards and in the sliding position inclining more severely obliquely outwards. This can for example be or at the side of the sliding panel which faces away from the sliding panel. In other words a horizontal axis is preferred only at the lower end of the sliding panel, while the upper end is more or less freely moveable. In the last-mentioned, preferred construction the advantage is obtained that the sliding panel is forcibly guided laterally outwards by way of especially simple means at the same time as it is lowered somewhat downwards relative to the support position, mainly as a result of the unstable support position and the weight of the slid¬ ing panel, but if necessary also with the possibility for lateral pushing out of the sliding panel by means of the inherent elasticity of the sealing elements. By way of various means it will also be possible to forcibly guide the upper end of the sliding panel in a direction later¬ ally outwards from the sliding panel. Further features will be evident from the following description having regard to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 and 2 show a sliding door according to the invention, illustrated in side view and end view respec¬ tively. Fig. 3 and 4 show a vertical section of the lower portion of a sliding panel and the lower portion of a co- operating support panel, with the sliding panel illu¬ strated in the support position in Fig. 3 and in the released sliding position in Fig. 4. Fig. 3A and 4A show a detail of Fig. 3 and 4, illu¬ strated in schematic form. Fig. 3B and 4B show an alternative construction of the detail as illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4. Fig. 5 shows in vertical section, corresponding to the section of Fig. 4, a detail according to an alterna¬ tive construction. Fig. 6 and 7 show in horizontal section the one end edge portion of the sliding panel and the support panel in the sliding position. Fig. 6, of the sliding panel and in the support position, Fig. 7, of the sliding panel, illu¬ strated with an associated cooperating, first set of guide members. Fig. 8 shows in side view an actuating means in the form of an espagnolette mechanism. Fig. 9 shows in perspective another kind of guide member. Fig. 10 and 11 show in horizontal section the lower portion of the support panel with an associated second set of guide members and with an espagnolette member illustra¬ ted in Fig. 10 in the sliding position of the sliding panel and in Fig. 11 in the support position of the slid¬ ing panel. Fig. 12-14 show schematically in end view a modified construction of the sliding door according to the inven¬ tion. Fig. 15 shows a detail in the modified sliding door according to Fig. 12-14. In Fig. 1 and 2 the invention is shown in the form of a conventional sliding door 10, comprising a stationary support panel 11 and a horizontally moveable sliding panel 12. There is shown as an example the support panel 11 and in the sliding panel 12 a window pane 10' is shown received between support panel pieces 11'-11"" made of wood, metal or another suitable material and a window pane 10" received between sliding panel pieces 12'-12"" correspondingly made of wood, metal or another suitable material. Alternatively the support panel and/or the slid¬ ing panel can be made of continuous, transparent or opaque, sheet-formed parts or a combination of materials differing from that which is shown herein. The support panel 11 is surrounded by a rigid frame 13 having a lower horizontal guide in the form of a guide rail 14 fastened to a horizontal lower frame piece 13' and an upper horizontal guide in the form of a guide duct 15a having an associated, readily dismountable outer cover 15b fastened to a horizontal upper frame piece 13". The guide rail 14 is provided with a convexly rounded, upwardly facing guide surface 14a which is adapted to support and guide the sliding panel 12 via castor-formed wheels 17 or suitable slide elements (not shown further) relative to the frame 13. The castor-formed wheels 17 are adapted to be supported in various oblique positions on the guide surface 14a, as is illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4. The wheels 17 are fastened to the lower piece 12' of the sliding panel 12 and carry in the illustrated embodi¬ ment the whole weight of the sliding panel which is relie¬ ved in the guide rail 14. The guide duct 15a gives only side support for the sliding panel 12 via the outer cover 15b and an upper horizontal support panel piece 11", with- out absorbing any of the weight of the sliding panel. In Fig. 2 the sliding panel 12 is shown in the sliding position on the guide rail 14, that is to say in a released position pushed laterally outwards relative to the support panel 11 itself. In Fig. 3 and 4 details are shown of the one of as an example a set of two castor-formed wheels 17, which are arranged in the lower horizontal sliding panel piece 12' of the sliding panel 12 at a horizontal distance from each other, as is shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 the castor wheel 17 is shown in supporting abutment against guide surface 14a of the guide rail 14 in the support position of the sliding panel 12, that is to say in a position with the sliding panel 12 pushed later¬ ally (towards the right) for supporting abutment against a vertical guide surface 13a in the casement 13 and having a sealing strip 18, which is fastened to the sliding panel 12, pressed for sealing abutment against a sealing surface 13b in the horizontal bottom piece 13' of the casement 13. Corresponding sealing strips are present at the remaining three sliding panel pieces 12", 12'", 12"" of the plane A of the wheel 17 is swung out about 10° from the vertical plane B. In Fig. 5 a regulating pin 25 is shown fastened at the lower L- leg 22b of the fitting 22 so as to form a regulatable stop for the lower inner edge 20a of the bearing profile 20 for regulating the position of the sliding panel 12 to substantially a vertical position in the sliding position. Alternatively remaining guide means, not shown can be employed in order to ensure the upper end of the sliding panel in place in the intended position in the upper guide 15a. On one vertical support panel piece 11' ' ' of the support panel 11 there are fastened in a lower and an upper cavity 26' and 26" respectively a respective hook- shaped guide member 27' and 27", as is indicated in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 6 and 7 respectively. Correspondingly on one vertical sliding panel piece 12"" of the sliding panel 12 there is fastened in a lower and an upper cavity 28' and 28" respectively a respective hook-shaped guide member 29' and 29". The guide members 27', 27" and 29', 29" are each provided with obliquely extending guide surfaces 27a and 29a which serve to forcibly guide the sliding panel 12 in a combined lateral and longitudinal sliding movement. In Fig. 6 the sliding panel 12 is shown in an almost closed position and in Fig. 7 in a fully closed position, the pairs of guide members 27', 29' and 27", 29" engaging each other during the closing movement of the sliding panel 12 from the position in Fig. 6 to the position in Fig. 7 and forcibly guiding the sliding panel 12 sideways in a direc¬ tion towards the support panel 11 at the rear end of the sliding panel 12 (at the sliding panel piece 12"") . The last closing movement between the positions as illustrated in Fig. 6 and 7 is ensured by way of an actuating means in the form of an espagnolette-locking mechanism 30, as illustrated in Fig. 8. A set of second guide members 31,32 at one casement piece 13''' of the casement 13 cooperates with pins 33,34 of the espagno- lette-locking mechanism so as to forcibly guide the front, vertical sliding panel piece 12''' of the sliding panel 12 sideways towards the support panel 11, while the first set of guide members 27',29' and 27",29" correspondingly for¬ cibly guides the rear, vertical sliding panel piece 12" correspondingly sideways towards the support panel 11. The espagnolette-locking mechanism 30, which is of known construction per se, is as illustrated in Fig. 8, fastened in a fitting 35, which in a manner not shown further is fastened to front sliding panel piece 12''' of the sliding panel 12. A door turner is provided with a handle 36 (see Fig. 1 and 2) on each side of the sliding panel 12. The door turner with the handles 36 is fastened to a rotary disc 37 which is rotatably mounted in a stationary control box 38. To diametrically opposite edge portions of the rotary disc 37 there are pivotably fast¬ ened oppositely directed slide rods 39,40. Outermost, that is to say axially outside the fitting 35 and outside upper and lower end edges of the sliding panel 12, the rods 39,40 are extended by the pins 33,34, which cooperate with the guide members 31,32. Between the box 38 and the respective pin 33,34 the slide rods 39,40 separately pass through an equivalent guide 41,42 and a lock box 43,44. From each of the lock boxes 43,44 a hook-shaped lock bolt 45 and 46 projects outwardly from the fitting 35, which cooperates with an equivalent locking member 47 and 48 in the frame piece 13'''. The lock bolt 45 (46) is adapted to be pivoted by means of the handle 36 between a locking position and a released positioned. In the sliding position of the slid¬ ing panel 12 the handle 36 is correspondingly pivoted to a position equivalent to the released position of the lock bolt, and in such a position the lock bolt can be led into engagement with associated locking member 47 (48) during the closing movement of the sliding panel. Thereafter the lock bolt is pivoted forcibly from the released position to the locking position by equivalent pivoting of the handle 36. At the same time as the lock bolts 45,46 are brought into locking engagement with the locking members 47,48 the sliding panel 12 is forcibly guided sideways from the slid¬ ing position (Fig. 4) to the support position (Fig. 3) towards the support panel 11 in that the pins 33,34, at the same time as they are pushed axially outwards by the slide rods 39,40, are forcibly guided by oblique surfaces 31a,31b (see Fig. 9) of the guide members 31 (32) later¬ ally inwards towards the support panel 11 and in the slid¬ ing direction of the sliding panel inwardly towards the frame piece 13'''. During the side displacement of the sliding panel 12 towards the support panel 11 the sliding panel 12 is lifted relative to the frame 13 by pivoting of the profile 20 with the castor wheel 17 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3, mainly by means of the pushing force which is exerted from the pins 33,34 towards the guide members 31.32. In the support position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the sliding panel is conse¬ quently pushed into place in an unstable support position. After reverse pivoting of the handle 36 from the position which corresponds to the locking position of the locking mechanism 30 to the position which corresponds to the released position of the locking mechanism 30, the sliding panel 12 has, as a result of the said turning moment which is produced by the weight of the sliding panel 12, the opportunity to be lowered into place in a stable sliding position. Simultaneously with this the sliding panel 12 will be moved laterally outwards from the support panel 11, so that the sealing strips 18 are released from impacting sealing surfaces and the sliding panel can thereby be moved relatively inhindered in the sliding direction on the guide rail 14. By means of the locking mechanism 30 and guide members which are modified relative to the guide members 32,33, it will also be possible in a manner not shown further, to bar the sliding panel 12 in the fully open end position and in arbitrary intermediate positions without changing the sliding position of the sliding panel. Alter¬ natively with the aid of further modified guide members the sliding panel can in such positions be locked in positions corresponding to the support position illu¬ strated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 12-14 an alternative construction is schema¬ tically illustrated where there can be employed lower guide rail 14 and upper guide rail 114 and a set of lower castor wheels 17 and a set of upper castor wheels 117, which are separately pivotably mounted in a similar manner to that which is illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4. The sliding panel 112 will consequently be able to be pivoted about a lower pivot pin 21 and an upper pivot pin 121 from the sliding position illustrated in Fig. 12 via the unstable intermediate position illustrated in Fig. 13 to the stable support position illustrated in Fig. 14. In such a case the bearing profile 120 is, as shown in Fig. 15, provided with a pivot pin 121, which is pivot- ably mounted in a bearing 50 on a control pin 51 which is axially moveable in a guide 52 in the sliding panel 112 against the force of a spring 53, which is compressed in the intermediate position as illustrated in Fig. 13 and which if necessary can exert a smaller spring force in the outer positions, as illustrated in Fig. 12 and 14. In the alternative construction as illustrated in Fig. 12-15 smaller outswung angles from the unstable middle position can be employed than from the unstable support position in the construction of Fig. 1-11 and thereby smaller vertical movements than in the con¬ struction of Fig. 1-11. In addition the guide members 27', 29' and 27", 29" can if desired be omitted or these can be ω o to t cπ o Cπ o Cn Cπ

Claims: Patent Claims 1. Arrangement in a sliding door (10) or sliding window, comprising a sliding panel (12,112) which, via two or more wheels (17,117) or slide elements is horizontally displaceable between open and closed positions in hori¬ zontal guides (rails 14) in an associated frame (13) and which in a closed position is sealable by means of sealing elements (18) against the frame (13) and against a later¬ ally adjacent support panel (11), each wheel (17,117) being rotatably mounted about a first axis (19a) on a bearing part (20) in a fitting (22) in the sliding panel (12,112), which is arranged in a plane transversely of the main plane of the sliding panel (12,112) , while the fitt¬ ing (22) is pivotable relative to the sliding panel (12,112) about a second horizontal axis (21a) parallel to the main plane of the sliding panel (12,112) and at right angles to the plane of the first axis, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d i n that the second axis (21a) is located laterally displaced relative to a central vertical plane through the associated wheel guide (the rail 14) , and preferably laterally displaced relative to a middle radial plane through the associated wheel (17,117), that the sliding panel (12,112) assumes by means of its weight a stable sliding position at a lower level than its support position, and that the sliding panel (12,112) is readjustable about the second axis (21a) -by lateral displacement of the slid- ing panel towards and from a support position with support against the frame (13) and against the support panel (11) respectively - by displacement of the sliding panel (12,112) from and to a stable sliding position at a lateral distance from the frame (13) and the support panel (11) respectively, a manually actuable stop means (30) , for barring the sliding panel (12,112) in its support position, being adapted, on removal of the barring engagement, to release a weight-actuated readjustment movement for displacing the sliding panel (12,112) towards its sliding position. 2. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the sliding panel (12,112) forms a construction jointed about the second horizontal axis (21a) or about two parallel, horizontal axes (21a, 121a), that the sliding panel (12,112), or certain parts of this, is/are laterally displaced relative to the wheels (17,117) on pivoting about said horizontal axis (axes) (21a; 21a,121a) . 3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the horizontal axis (21a, 121a) is arranged at the lower end of the sliding panel (12,112), preferably on or at the side of the sliding panel which faces away from the support panel (11) . 4. Arrangement in accordance with one of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that guide means (27', 27"; 33, 34) in the sliding panel (12,112) and cooperating guide means (29', 29" ; 31, 32) in the associated casement (13) and in the support panel (11) respectively, ensure a controlled lateral dis¬ placement of the sliding panel (12,112) relative to the support panel (11) , an actuating means, which is preferably formed by stop means (30) of the sliding panel (12) , forcibly guides the cooperating guide means towards and from one another for lateral displacement of the sliding panel (12,112) towards and from the support panel (11) . 5. Arrangement in accordance with one of the claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the sliding panel, which is supported in an upper and lower guide rail (14,114) via a set of lower (17) and a set of upper (117) wheels, is pivotable rela¬ tive to the horizontal axes (21a, 121a) between a sliding position and a support position. 6. Arrangement in accordance with claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that on readjusting the sliding panel (112) about the horizontal axes (21a, 121a) from an unstable intermediate position, the weight of the sliding panel (112) is adapted to displace the sliding panel (112) sideways to a stable support position and sideways in an opposite direction to a stable sliding position, the sliding panel (112) being adapted to be displaced sideways between the outer positions partly by means of the actuating means, which constitute stop means (30) of the sliding panel (112) in the support position of the sliding panel (112), and partly by means of the weight of the sliding panel. 7. Arrangement in accordance with one of the claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the stop means (30) , which is fastened to the sliding panel (12,112) comprises an espagnolette-mechanism having a door turner or similar handle (36) along with guide members in the form of axially moveable guide pins (33,34) which cooperate with their respective stationarily arranged guide members (31,32) for forcibly guiding the sliding panel (12,112) from sliding position to support position and/or vice-versa. 8. Arrangement in accordance with claim 7, c h a a c t e r i s e d i n that the espagnolette - mechanism (30) includes sepa- rate lock bolts (37,38) for cooperating with their respec¬ tive lock members (39,40) in the frame (13) for locking the sliding panel (12,112) in its support position. 9. Arrangement in accordance with one of the claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a set of additional guide means (27', 29'; 27",29") which are arranged cooperating in pairs and placed directly above each other and on the sliding panel (12,112) and on the support panel (11) in the path of movement of the sliding panel for forcibly guiding the sliding panel (12,112) laterally relative to the support panel. 10. Arrangement in accordance with claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the additional guide means (27',29'; 27", 29") comprise mutually opposite hook-shaped portions having opposite obliquely extending guide surfaces for movement of the sliding panel (12,112) forcibly guided in a combin- ed longitudinal and lateral direction of movement.

Inventors: KVASNES OLAV JOHAN SILSETH, KVASNES, OLAV, JOHAN, SILSETH
Applicants: KVASNES OLAV JOHAN SILSETH, KVASNES, OLAV, JOHAN, SILSETH
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E05D15
IPC codes: E05D15, E05F1